Students’ competences for online collaboration in Higher Education: some proposals from two case studies Mauri, T.; Onrubia, J.; Clarà, M.; Colomina, R.; Naranjo, M. University of Barcelona GRINTIE ( Amsterdam, 25-29th August 2009

Aim ► To explore the competence of collaboration on- line and to provide conceptual and analytical tools in order to make it operational ► To apply these tools for understanding how this competence is carried out spontaneously in two different instructional activities ► Starting from this analysis, to discuss some proposals about the competences for online collaboration that should be promoted in Higher Education

Theoretical approach: Concept of competence ►Competence: -Instructional construct: a way to concrete educational goals in the curriculum -Educational goals as: -Situated and contextualized goals -Merge of different kinds of contents and cognitive and meta-cognitive processes ►A possible definition (from OECD DeSeCo): “A competence is defined as the ability to meet complex demands successfully through the mobilization of mental prerequisites. Each competence is structured around a demand and corresponds to a combination of interrelated cognitive and practical skills, knowledge, motivation, values and ethics, attitudes, emotions, and other social and behavioural components that together can be mobilized for effective action in a particular context” (Rychen & Salganik, 2003)

Theoretical approach: Online collaboration learning ►The “Interaction paradigm” (Dillenbourg et al., 1996) ►Focus on: ●Interaction processes among the participants (Stahl, Koschmann & Suthers, 2006) ●Interpsychological mechanisms of knowledge construction through interaction: - Presenting and formulating one own’s ideas and points of view - Giving and asking for assistance - Co-constructing shared knowledge -- intersubjectivity as key element (Baker et al., 1999; Bereiter & Scardamalia, 2003; Crook, 1998; Mäkitalo et al.,2002; Roschelle & Teasley, 1995; Stahl, 2005; Weinberger & Fischer, 2006)

Theoretical approach: Online collaboration learning ►A socio-cultural, constructivist, situated, distributed view of learning and cognition (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Mercer, 2000; Salomon, 1993; Tharp et al., 2000; Vygotsky, 1979; Wertsch, 1988) ●Knowledge as a: - distributed process between individual and contexts where they are involved - social practice are a result of collaboration ship ●Language as a key element to negotiate and construct: - social and academic task participation structures - shared meanings ●Learning in CSCL as a: - mediated process of co-construction of shared knowledge - situated process in the relationships or networks of distributed activities (Arvaja et al., 2007; Garrison & Anderson, 2003; Hakarainnen, 2003; Scardamalia & Bereiter, 1994; Stahl, 2005)

Theoretical approach: Online collaboration learning as interactivity Content Student Interactivity Discourse & Computer time Student Teacher Construction of Participation Structure Construction of Shared Meanings (Social Participation / Task Structure) Coll et al. (1992); Mercer (2001); Erickson (1982)

Methodology : Dimensions of online collaboration Management of Social Participation -- SPM Presentation of ideas Formulation of participation rules Evaluation of participation rules or participants’ behavior Evaluation of the degree of fulfillment of participation rules Proposal to review participation rules AskRequest for precisions of participation rules Offer/ Elaboration Formulation of precisions about participation rules (answering a request)

Methodology : Dimensions of online collaboration Management of Academic Task -- TSM Presentation of ideas Establishing task characteristics Evaluation of task characteristics Evaluation of the degree of task fulfillment Proposal to review the task characteristics AskRequest for precisions task characteristics Offer/ Elaboration Formulation of precisions task characteristics (answering a request)

Methodology : Dimensions of online collaboration Construction of (Shared) Meanings -- SMC Presentation of ideas Contribution of personal meanings Contribution of meaning from external sources Reference of one or more meaning sources (books, articles, etc.) Contribution of documents of external sources Favorable evaluation Critical evaluation Ask Request for contribution of meaning from other participants Request for precisions or explanations Expressions or manifestations of doubts Offer/ Elaboration Identification of topics or subjects Reminder of meanings displayed previously by other participants Response to a request Response to a request for precisions or explanations Identification or correction of misconceptions or misunderstandings Contribution or synthesis or summaries

Categories - Codes Description Identify – Define CC_id An isolated element of the topic is presented Classify - Organize CC_cl Two or more elements of the topic are presented, with taxonomic relationships between them Explain - Relate - Compare CC_ex Two or more elements of the topic are presented with argumentation and/or reasoning Reflect - Conclude – Theorize CC_re Conclusions of the topic are established through explicit deductive arguments based on scientific principles Methodology Dimensions for quality of learning Cognitive quality – Cognitive complexity_ CC

Cognitive quality – Learning (functional use of content) _ CA Categories/codesDescription No content used CA-nc The specific content of the module is not used. Rote learning CA- rl Some terms of the specific content are used by the student, but in an apparently non- functional, literal manner Functional use of content - partial CA- ufp Student contribution is based to some extent on the concepts and ideas of the specific content, that are correctly used and correctly understood Functional use of content CA- uf Student contribution is fully based on the concepts and ideas of the specific content, that are correctly used and correctly understood Methodology Dimensions for quality of learning

Methodology: Context & Activity /Task Activity/task: Collaborative writing in small group Students had to write collaboratively a text on “inclusive education” in small groups. The text had to be submitted to the teacher at the end of the module Small groups were organized and managed by the students themselves The activity was developed using the standard forum tools afforded by Moodle (separate groups) Activity/task: Debate forum Students had to submit at least two postings per week, providing arguments either in favour of or against ability grouping. The teacher set the participation rules, opened the debate and summarized it at the end, but she made no other contribution all along the process The activity was developed using the standard forum tools afforded by Moodle 17 students A Higher Education course on “Educational Psychology” A teaching module on “Special educational needs and inclusive school practices” Duration of every task: 3 weeks Asynchronous written communication

► Register of complete online interaction all along the two activities -- contributions and documents ► Complementary data: activity logs, interviews with the teacher, teacher’s syllabus and course material, students’ self-reports (throughout the activity) Methodology: Data corpus

Results Main results: Social participation and academic task rules are scarcely discussed, mainly through presentation scarcely discussed (SPM _ TSM)SPM TSM Construction of shared meanings mainly through presentation (contribution of personal meanings, favourable evaluations and critical evaluations) presentation Low level of cognitive complexity of individual contributionsLow level Low level of functional use of learning contentfunctional use of learning Activity 1 — Debate COLLABORATION PATTERNS QUALITY OF LEARNING

Results Main results: High number of contributions devoted to discuss and establish academic task rules, mainly through presentation (SPM, MTS)discuss and establish academic task rulesSPMMTS Construction of shared meanings mainly through presentation -- but more diverse devices ( i.e. request/answer, expressing doubt…)shared meanings Low level of cognitive complexity of individual contributionscognitive complexity High level of “Learning content is not used” as well as “Functional use of learning content ”Learning content Activity 2 — Collaborative writing (Small Group) COLLABORATION PATTERNS QUALITY OF LEARNING

Conclusions/ Discussion: On the characteristics of the competence 1. The conceptualization of the competence of online collaboration for learning ► The competence can be successfully analyzed by means of the two proposed dimensions:  Social and Task Management  Construction of Shared Meanings

Conclusions/Discussion: On the characteristics of the competence 2. On the spontaneous performance of the competence of online collaboration for learning: ► Relevance of the kind of collaborative task (i.e. debate vs. elaboration of writing products) ► Differences on the amount and quality of the Management of Social Participation ► Differences on the quality and distribution of the Management of the Construction of Shared Meanings ► Spontaneous patterns of ‘collaboration’ leading to summative patterns of interaction and low level learning

Conclusions/Discussion: On the teaching of the competence of online collaboration 1. Authenticity of the task and learning context: ► Even if specific and deliberated instructional activities are used, if the task is not meaningful the competence is not successfully achieved ► Some socio-institutional characteristics of higher education contexts (i.e. individual grades, competition, superficial approach …) may negatively affect the possibility of collaborating online

► A wide sample of ecologically relevant situations and tasks should be identified and used in online collaboration teaching ► The different dimensions of online collaboration should be taught on an interrelated manner, in the context of authentic, sense-making tasks Conclusion/Discussion: On the teaching of the competence of online collaboration

Conclusion/Discussion: On the teaching of the competence to teaching students ► Teaching students need to be taught: ► to collaborate online ► to collaborate online for learning ► to teach how to learn through online collaboration ► Teaching metacognitive knowledge and conscious regulation strategies for online collaboration for learning is particularly relevant for teaching students to learn to collaborate online

Students’ competences for online collaboration in Higher Education: some proposals from two case studies Mauri, T.; Onrubia, J.; Clarà, M.; Colomina, R.; Naranjo, M. University of Barcelona, Spain ( Thank you very much! The results presented here were obtains by the GRINTIE research group from the University of Barcelona. Project Title: Supporting learning in text – based asynchronous learning networks teacher presence and teacher functions in knowledge building processes. Principal researcher: Cesar Coll Salvador. Amsterdam, 25-29th August 2009

Results SMC: Shared Meaning Construction TSM: Management of academic task rules SPM: Management of social participation rules Activity 1 — Debate Dimensions of online collaboration

Results Activity 1 — Debate Management of Social Participation Rules

Results Activity 1 — Debate Management of Academic Task Rules

Results Activity 1 — Debate Shared Meaning Construction

Results CC_id: Identify – Define CC_ex: Explain CC_cl: Classify – Organize CC_re: Reflect - Conclude Activity 1 — Debate Cognitive presence — Cognitive level

Results CA_up: Learning content is periferically used (rote learning) CA_nc: Learning content is not used CA_ufp: Learning content is functionally used (partially) CC_uf: Learning content is functionally used Activity 1 — Debate Cognitive presence — Learning

Results TSM: Management of academic task rules SMC: Shared meaning construction SPM: Management of social participation rules Activity 2 — Collaborative writing (Small Group) Dimensions of online collaboration

Results Activity 2 — Collaborative writing (Small Group) Management of Social Participation Rules

Results Activity 2 — Collaborative writing (Small Group) Management of Academic Task Rules

Results Activity 2 — Collaborative writing (Small Group) Shared Meaning Construction

Results CC_cl: Classify – Organize CC_id: Identify – Define CC_ex: Explain CC_re: Reflect - Conclude Activity 2 — Collaborative writing (Small Group) Cognitive presence — Cognitive level

Results CA_nc: Learning content is not used CC_uf: Learning content is functionally used CA_up: Learning content is periferically used (rote learning) CA_ufp: Learning content is functionally used (partially) Activity 2 — Collaborative writing (Small Group 1) Cognitive presence — Learning